League

Bonegilla
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Sydney Eagles's Arne Waters started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. The crowd rose to their feet as Bonegilla's Darrell Cubitt slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Mark Butterfield. That made the score 1-0 after 5 minutes of play. After having played for 9 minutes, Rick Luckham managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Sydney Eagles's supporters crossed their fingers, but Rick Luckham was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. In the 16th minute, Bob Pearson sent off a long shot on goal, but the shot was nowhere near the goal and Bonegilla's Bill Mcwilliam didn't even have to move. 21 minutes into the match, Bonegilla's goal looked a bit too open when Rick Luckham came free, but Bill Mcwilliam reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. If Darrell Cubitt had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 23rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Bill Mcwilliam showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Rick Luckham in the 27th minute of the match. If Darrell Cubitt had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 29th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. The Bonegilla fans' excitement grew in the 32nd match minute when Bonegilla's Benny Fasey looked to have a clear shot with the ball near the goal. The shot wasn't hard, but the ball still rolled over the goal line to make it 2-0 before the goalkeeper had a chance to intervene. When Darrell Cubitt came up free with the goalie in the 37th minute, the Bonegilla fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Darrell Cubitt couldn't finish the play. Benny Fasey sent away a hard shot on goal in the 40th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Benny Fasey fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 42nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Mark Butterfield having to interfere. Darrell Cubitt's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Mark Butterfield read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 44th minute of play. Benny Fasey sent away a hard shot on goal in the 46th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Benny Fasey sent away a hard shot on goal in the 48th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. All the noise was coming from the home fans when the whistle went for half-time. The home team had fought hardest to put themselves in a deserved lead.

Rick Luckham took the ball and in the 53 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Bill Mcwilliam. Bill Mcwilliam dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 2-1. 66 minutes into the match, Darrell Cubitt notched a goal, 4-1, to the right of Sydney Eagles's Mark Butterfield. Mark Butterfield was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. In the 74th minute Benny Fasey shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Mark Butterfield saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Mark Butterfield stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Benny Fasey's shot from short distance in the 80th minute. In the 82nd minute, Darrell Cubitt left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Bonegilla fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 5-1. Darrell Cubitt sent away a hard shot on goal in the 85th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Darrell Cubitt struck a weak shot in the 89th minute. Mark Butterfield didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Bonegilla. 91 minutes into the match, Sydney Eagles's goal looked a bit too open when Benny Fasey came free, but Mark Butterfield reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The audience was convinced that Benny Fasey's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Mark Butterfield was relentless in the 94th minute of the game. It was no surprise that this one had ended in a win for the home team. Bonegilla had played much better football throughout.